New Reports Detail Potential Impacts of Biofuel Production, Global Warming on Bay

Two reports released in September detail the wide-ranging potential effects of biofuel production and global warming on the future of the Bay and its watershed.

• Earlier in the month, the Chesapeake Bay Commission released Biofuels and the Bay, which presents the possible effects of increased corn production for biofuels on the Bay's farms, forests and waters.
• This week, the National Wildlife Federation released The Chesapeake Bay and Global Warming, which focuses on the effects that global warming could have on the Bay region's fish, bird, wildlife habitat and coastal lands.

Biofuels and the Bay: Getting it Right to Benefit Farms, Forests and the Chesapeake

America 's desire to reduce greenhouse gases and become energy independent has turned our attention toward biofuels, a category of alternative energy products made from crops, such as corn, and other organic sources. However, if increased corn production in the Bay watershed is not handled correctly, more nutrients could flow into our already over-enriched Bay and rivers.

Biofuels and the Bay discusses what needs to be done to develop a “best strategy” for biofuels in the Bay region, as well as:

• The current focus on grain-based ethanol and the developing technology to produce cellulose-based ethanol.
• The possibility of burning poultry litter to generate heat and electricity and capturing methane from hog and dairy waste to produce biofuel products.
• The potential for producing biodiesel from soybeans, canola and poultry fat.

Download Biofuels and the Bay from the Chesapeake Bay Commission website.

The Chesapeake Bay and Global Warming: A Paradise Lost for Hunters, Anglers, and Outdoor Enthusiasts?

Over the past 25 years, billions of dollars have been invested in restoration activities across the Bay watershed. But global warming may make it harder for Bay restoration partners to reach their conservation goals. The National Wildlife Federation synthesizes the many ways that fish and wildlife in the Bay region will be affected by global warming, including loss of coastal habitat, altered migration patterns and more aquatic diseases.

The Chesapeake Bay and Global Warming offers solutions and recommendations to reduce the impact of global warming on the Bay's habitats and wildlife, including:

• Reducing global warming pollution.
• Providing adequate and dedicated funding for species and habitat conservation.
• Conserving land and managing new development in the face of global warming.
• Government and citizen action to protect the Bay's resources for future generations.

Download The Chesapeake Bay and Global Warming from the National Wildlife Foundation Web site.